


Miss/Communications

by Webhoard



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Feuds, Fights, Rivalry, but a lot of cattiness in the meantime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2018-11-18 22:43:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11300364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Webhoard/pseuds/Webhoard
Summary: Set in their first semester of their fourth and final year at Starfleet Academy. Uhura and reader have had a long-standing academic and personal rivalry. After they get partnered up for a group project, their animosity for each other gets put to the test. It also doesn’t help that they are both attracted to each other. [I am also trying to fit as many TV show tropes in here as possible. #NoRegrets]





	1. Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve outlined the whole story, and it should be about 8 parts, but it could get longer knowing me.

BAM! You tried to shake off the buzzing and the sting of Uhura’s absolutely brutal right hook. Damned if you’d let her get away with that one, you thought to yourself as you went in for an elbow across her back, which landed sharply on her shoulder blade. You could see her anger rising at that blow. Was this it? Was this the turning point? The turning point occurred every time you and she sparred in hand-to-hand combat training. One or the other of you would get so frustrated that rules would become secondary to winning and a full on brawl would ensue.

“What now, Uhura?! Huh?!” You taunted in low voice, wanting to avoid the attention of your instructor.

It immediately became clear that she had, in fact, ‘turned’ when she, without so much as a sound, spun around and punched you right on your left breast. You let out a string of profanities and clutched your chest with your gloved fist. Despite the searing pain radiating from your nipple, you smiled internally. You had gotten to her first, rather than she getting to you, and you gave yourself a brownie point for a battle well won. But the larger battle was still being waged, so you responded by punching her right back on her breast. Uhura let out a pained and frustrated shout.

Your fight, which was no longer to be considered a sparring match, was starting to draw the attention of your classmates—and your combat instructor. With a shriek, she gave a low punch to your stomach, sending you reeling backward slightly. Almost instinctively you responded with a sharp kick to her shins, which apparently was a very bad idea. She came at you and tackled you to the ground, and what had started off as a standard, by the books sparring match, devolved into a sad display of tangled limbs, shrieks and low growls, and bloodshot, anger-filled eyes. 

You knew it was only a matter of seconds before your instructor would come and pull you two apart with shouting and curses. But you would never get to see the anger in her eyes when you two got pulled apart because Uhura, pinning you down with her knees, wound back her fist and delivered her signature right hook, which collided with your skull with such force that you were sure you could hear your brain rattling in its shell. You let your head fall back in a daze and you let your eyes flutter close as the voices around you faded into a unanimous low murmur.

* * *

The ground felt oddly unsteady as if you were on a small boat, and despite the fact that you were decidedly horizontal, you couldn’t escape the feeling that you might fall right off some unseen edge. Your head throbbed with a low but prominent tempo. You blinked your eyes and rubbed at them as the gym ceiling slowly came into focus. You could make out the forms of several of your classmates and your instructor, all looking simultaneously relieved and apprehensive. One face in particular, Uhura’s, stood out among the rest. You fought back your urge to jump up fight her but couldn’t help noticing how the flickering of the white lights illuminated her head like a halo…ugh, yeah, only a demon could have a halo after knocking you out like that. She didn’t even have the courtesy to look remorseful; instead, you distinctly saw her pump her fist in victory as she mouthed a soundless but resonating ‘YES!’

“Y/N. Hey, are you ok?” Your instructor asked softly. 

“Yeah, I think so…” you said as you tried to sit up before a fresh wave of unsteadiness hit you.

“Ok, just stay still for now. Cadet!” Your instructor called at Uhura, “I need you to comm the medical center. You’re the one who did this anyway.”

Uhura may have loathed, but she knew better than to disregard orders. “Yes, coach.” She stepped away from the circle that had surrounded you, and you let your eyes close again, only this time, sweet painless unconsciousness did not take you.

The next few minutes passed in a dazed blur, but before you knew it you were in the Starfleet medical center staring down a very angry looking Leonard McCoy.

“Y/N, don’t tell me. Let me just take a wild guess: Uhura in combat training?” He asked as he angrily as he swept his tricorder over your head, honing in on a specific spot on the left side of your face.

“Well, congratulations. You’ve got a concussion.” The snark coming from him was almost too much to tolerate. 

“It’s not like I asked her to punch me in the head,” you practically yelled, unable to control your volume for some reason.

“Shh! You’re gonna upset the other patients. Besides, I don’t need your blood pressure to get any higher.” 

“Fine,” you snapped, voice still unintentionally loud, “but this was not my fault, so there’s no need to be so, so…” You opted to not finish that sentence upon seeing Leonard’s face, a stalwart wall that said ‘come at me.’

“No drinking, no caffeine, no fighting, and avoid stressful situations for the next 48 hours−” You let you head fall into your hands in frustration, “−And at that time, you’ll need to come in for a recheck.” He paused until you looked back up at him. “Got it?”

“Yeah, Leonard. I got it.” There was no point in fighting it, “You forget that I’m not as afraid of this place as Jim.”

He just huffed at you and rolled his eyes, as was his wont, before suddenly sticking you with a hypospray, eliciting a low yelp from you. “It’s for the swelling.” He said without missing a beat.

* * *

Avoid alcohol: check. Avoid caffeine: reluctant check. Avoid fighting: check. Avoid stressful situations: …

You stared blankly at your professor. Your caffeine deficient and concussed brain throbbed as you sat in class following morning, the class that had started your whole feud with Uhura: Advanced Methods in Xeno-Phonology. Well, it wasn’t in this course specifically, but in its first-year introductory course.

As with most feuds, the incident that had started it all was, in retrospect, completely dumb, utterly pointless, and downright underwhelming. During an introductory partner discussion, you and she had gotten into a disagreement regarding the merits of the old fashioned International Phonetic Alphabet, which you argued was a revolutionary step forward in orthography, and the Federation Phonetic Alphabet and Syllabary, which she argued was more inclusive of xeno-languages. Internally, you agreed with her. But you had backed yourself into a pretty specific stance, and your pride would not permit you to give in. At the same time, Uhura understood the merits of your argument, but her pride too prevented her from saying so. Again, as with most feuds, this relatively minor agreement led to slightly larger one, which slightly escalated another, and then another, and so on. At this point, you and she were one pig theft away from going full on Hatfields and McCoys, never mind the fact that when drinking, Leonard sometimes claimed he was their direct descendant. 

As you sat, your leg bounced to a disjointed staccato beat. Perhaps it was the concussion or perhaps it was her maddeningly long dark hair that prevented you from fully focusing on the lecture, but before you knew it, Dr. Jeong, your professor, ended the lecture and, in the few remaining minutes, assigned the partner project that would stand in as your midterm.

“As you all know, each group will need to complete a 4000-word analysis of your assigned topic and present on your inquiry and research for the class during the week of midterms, which is in less than two weeks.” Luckily you snapped out of your thoughtless daze in time to hear the explanation of the assignment. “A sign up has been released on the course blackboard for presentation dates. You will also find detailed guidelines for the written and verbal parts of the assignment, as well as the list of partner groups. If there are no questions, then class is dismissed.”

There was a loud shuffle as your classmates began packing up and meeting up with their partners on their way out the door. You, however, were glued to your seat. You stared at the document in your PADD in shock. You hopelessly looked over at Uhura, her face a mirror of your own. You looked back down as if to make sure you had read what you thought you’d read and that your addled and aching head hadn’t imagined it. But there it was, clear as day.

_Y/LN, Y/FN and Uhura, Nyota: Phonetic Distinctions of Vulcan and Romulan Dialects_

Great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, that fight was so much fun to write.
> 
> Also that bit from the professor was like a less helpful version of me when I taught freshman English. Also, I have no frakking idea what kind of online course sites Starfleet may or may not conceivably have, so I decided to just call it blackboard since most people know what that is.


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much banter in this part. Sorry it took me sooo long to update this. This week has been…a lot. I took a huge (600+ page) contract for my father at the last minute after he had to fire his editor for gross incompetence (no, seriously.)…while I was also getting ready to housesit for him and my mom. So, I’ve not had much time to myself. But now they’re in Colorado, so I at least have my evenings back!! Ok, rant over.

_Y/LN, Y/FN and Uhura, Nyota: Phonetic Distinctions of Vulcan and Romulan Dialects_

You must have read it ten times before you and Uhura simultaneously rushed to Dr. Jeong.

“Can we change partners?” You both asked in eerie unison.

Taken aback by your obvious irritation and desperation, she cleared her throat, placed her PADD carefully and slowly in her bag, and set her bag on the podium before responding.

“Is there a problem with you two working together?” Her eyes bounced between Uhura and you.

Uhura spoke first, “I’m not sure that I can be properly challenged by the prompt.”

She was closely followed by you, “And I don’t want to work with her.” You bit your tongue. Ok, you could have been a bit more tactful.

Uhura glared open mouthed at you.

Dr. Jeong bit back a smile as she looked down at the podium. After a moment, she looked up and with barely hidden amusement explained, “I understand you two are not the best of friends, but you both have shown an interest and deep insights into the Vulcan and Romulan languages throughout your coursework, even as early as your first year.” She paused, looking you and Uhura in the eye, “Because of this, I felt it necessary to assign this topic to the both of you and to no one else. I know what you both are capable of, so put your differences aside and do your work.” Then she added as an afterthought, “And I expect high caliber work, ladies. As I said, I know what you two are capable of.”

You both groaned and with ‘yes ma’ams’ left the classroom. 

Uhura, a woman who wasted no time with conversational platitudes, started calmly speaking as soon as you both were in the hallway. “I have another class in ten minutes, are you able to meet at 11:00 to go over the assignment?”

Trying to mimic her neutral tone of speech, you responded, “Yeah, I get out of class at 10:50. We can meet at the café in the union.” It was more a statement than a suggestion.

“Ok, see you then.” And with that she turned on her heels and whisked down the hall, leaving you in her wake. You caught a fleeting whiff of her perfume, subtle and woodsy, and you pondered briefly what brand it might be.

* * *

You drummed your fingers on your mug anxiously, your fingernails tinkling lightly on the ceramic. You wished that your mug could have been brimming with dark energizing coffee, but instead you were drinking a strong peppermint tea, which, while invigorating, was decidedly caffeine free.

You knew enough about Uhura to know that she was a punctual type of person. You glanced up at the clock on the far wall, which read 11:11. Under ordinary circumstances, you might have jokingly made a wish, but these were not ordinary circumstances. You were waiting for what would need to be a civil meeting. This was no time for childish wishing games. 

11:12. Perhaps she was held up in class, or perhaps she was as reluctant to meet with you as you were with her. Just as you were pondering how badly a call to her comm might turn out, she came rushing in through the door. 

“Sorry, I had to speak with my professor about the details of my midterm essay,” she flustered out, looking genuinely apologetic. You noticed that her normally pristine hair now had a few flyaway strands falling out, lightly brushing against the tops of her cheeks.

“Nah, it’s ok,” you tried to sound understanding, no need to be the one to start the inevitable arguments, at least not yet. “I’ve just been enjoying a mental break with my tea.”

Noticing your nearly empty mug, she offered with a straight face, “I’m going to get a coffee. Let me get you a refill.”

“Oh, you don’t need to do that,” you waved away her offer.

“I gave you a concussion. Let me buy you a refill; they cost almost nothing.” She looked a bit put out. 

“Oh, well in that case, thank you for your generosity,” you responded too sarcastically as you handed her your mug. 

Her brow twitched as she looked at you before wordlessly taking it. Great, you’d taken the bait. Things could only go down hill from here.

She returned a minute later, steaming mugs in her hands. You both got out your PADDs, still without speaking, and began reading the assignment, furtively stealing glances at each other as you both sipped at your mugs.

You decided to take the lead before she could. “Ok, I think our best bet is to divide and conquer. Let’s knock out a rough outline of what we want in the essay, delegate certain sections, and then throw it all together before it’s due.” She looked at you flatly as you continued, “We can meet the evening before our presentation, whatever day we choose, to make sure the essay jives and go over how we want to present. Thoughts?”

She looked into her mug as she thought about your proposal, “I think that’s probably for the best. I can’t say we will be very productive together.” She looked you in the eyes, daring you to disagree, “Let’s sign up for the Wednesday of midterms. We won’t be the first people to present so we’ll know what to expect, but we won’t have to live up to the potentially higher standards of the Friday crowd, who will be compared to all the other presentations.”

“Yeah good plan. Let’s get this outline done, and we can just, see each other Tuesday evening, week after next.” You looked at her, frown hidden behind your businesslike façade. “My roommate has her astronomy labs on Tuesdays, so we won’t be disturbed by her, plus it’s better than fighting for a table at the library during midterms. Yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s a solid plan.” She said, nodding her head, straining to look civil. “Ok, what key concepts do we want to cover for this research?”

The rest of the morning passed as you and Uhura diligently worked on crafting an outline and deciding who would cover what for the essay. When you both parted, it was with the understanding that you would have your respective sections of the essay completed by Tuesday evening in a week and a half.

“Ok, if you need any help with your sections, just send me a message.” She offered.

“Same for you. I’ll see you Monday in combat.” Beating her to the punch, you stole the opportunity to spin on your heel and whisk away across the quad, as she had done to you so many times before. As it turned out your hasty retreat was a good idea after all; you were about to be late for your recheck with Leonard at the medical center.

* * *

With ample self-pity, you groaned into your beer, which Leonard had cleared you to drink, as he and Jim looked on with a mixture of amusement and friendly sympathy. Ok, Leonard didn’t look quite as sympathetic. And as you peered down into your glass’ amber depths, they both shared a knowing look.

“I just don’t understand why she has to be so competitive with me.” You growled over the top of your glass with hopeless frustration.

“You know, you’re not exactly magnanimous about it all yourself,” Jim muttered sagely.

“Hey, whose side are you on?” You asked defensively.

“It’s not about sides, Y/N.”

“Then why are you always so quick to defend her?”

Jim let the remark hang in the air for a second, looking you in the eyes, “Because it’s not about sides.” He enunciated each syllable slowly and deliberately, driving home the obviousness of his answer.

Undeterred, you responded shortly, “No, I think it’s just because you’ve got the hots for her even though she can’t stand you!”

Finally, Leonard, having had enough of the bickering, intervened. “Y/N, quit acting like a child. You sure you’re not conflating Jim’s attraction to her with yours? He certainly is not after Uhura, if that’s what your getting at, but I sometimes wonder if you are.”

You looked up at him in open mouthed shock, “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

“Darlin’, you’ve spent the last thirty minutes of what was supposed to be a nice night out talking about nothing but this cadet.” He smirked, taking a long pull of whiskey.

Without a pause, Jim chimed in, “He’s got a point, you know. If you hate her so much, just finish the assignment and let it go.”

You opened and closed your mouth several times, before stuttering out, “Wha− I− Sorry I can’t complain about my personal problems with you two. I thought you came out tonight to support me.” You knew you were being aggressively passive aggressive at this point, but you were frustrated and your head was starting to ache, leaving little room for you to care.

“And here I thought we came out to share drinks and each others’ company,” Leonard muttered, resting his hand on the back of Jim’s chair.

Jim and Leonard shared that knowing look again, only this time you caught it. “Hey, don’t think I don’t see you two, giving each other that look.” You pointed your finger at them in turn. “I do not have the hots for Uhura. I could never have the hots for such a bi−”

* * *

“She is so− so− infuriating.” Uhura complained, the anger in her voice compromised by her sudden inability to find the right adjective. Infuriating wasn’t quite the right word for you. You got under her skin and into her head, and drove her utterly insane.

Gaila, who walked two steps ahead of her just laughed the whole comment off, “Nyota, you’ve got to just let it go. We’re going to go to get drinks, then guys, and then you won’t have to worry about what’s-her-name anymore. It’s the perfect distraction from her.”

“Distraction? Gaila, I don’t want a distraction. I want to take her down in next month’s combat practical.” Uhura was indignant. “And I will.”

Gaila, however, was too intent on making it to the bar in record time to hear much of what Nyota said.

“Hey, will you slow it down? These heels you insisted I wear are killing my feet.” Nyota complained.

“No matter, we’re here,” she said, beaming. 

Nyota regarded the door. She always felt you could tell a lot about a bar by looking at its door. This one was very old fashioned and made of wood—who used wood anymore anyway?—with peeling red paint and a rather surly looking Andorian for a bouncer.

“Gaila…” Nyota started cautiously, “Are you sure this is the right place?”

“Oh, it’s so divey!” She gushed through a big smile, her fiery curls bouncing along the way.

“That’s certainly one way of putting it,” Nyota muttered more to herself than to Gaila as the Andorian ushered them through the door.

The inside of the bar, much to the satisfaction of Nyota’s expectations, was a perfect reflection of the peeling paint on the old fashioned wood door: dark, dingy, and, as Gaila had put it, divey. They both walked up to the bar and ordered their drinks. Nyota turned around and leant her back against the bar, taking the place in.

“See anyone worth talking to?” Gaila asked with a toothy grin. 

“Nah, just a bunch of old men and−” Her gaze finally swept the last table and found you, staring at her, beer in hand and mouth agape. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She sighed out, closing her eyes in frustration and pinching the bridge of her nose.

“What? What’s up?” Gaila asked, her smile dropping slightly as she followed Nyota’s eyes.

You had been on the verge of denigrating both Uhura’s gender and her character when her sudden appearance stopped you from your baseless attack. You were flustered and caught between your knee-jerk dislike of her and the nagging remarks that Jim and Leonard had made about your attraction to her. No, you were not attracted to her. Yes, she was attractive, but…

Your spiraling train of thought was interrupted as she and her Orion friend approached your table. Before you knew it, she was standing before you, drink in hand, looking unaffected as usual. How did she always manage to look so calm and collected?

“What are you doing here, Y/LN?” She asked, voice flat.

You were less collected than she, “What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here? I come here every Friday.”

“You come here every Friday?” She emphasized the word ‘here’ a little too strongly. 

“Yeah, this is a nice bar, and sometimes I come here not on a Friday too.” You responded offended and defensive at her tone.

“Nice is not the word I would have chosen.” She rolled her eyes slightly.

“Well maybe I can translate it into Romulan for you. Would that be better?” The beer was starting to do the talking for you. 

“Yeah. Why don’t you do that.” Her sarcasm was the product, not of her as yet untouched drink, but of her own irritation at the end of what was a very long day. “I’m sure Dr. Jeong would love to hear about your grimy bar preferences.”

“Grimy? Oh, sorry that I don’t like flashy clubs with sequins and weird cocktail glasses.”

“Sequins? What are you even talking about?” Her voice was rising, “Why would you assume I like flashy clubs?”

“Well I’m not the one at a dive bar all made up and dressed to the nines.”

“Oh what? Because I like to look nice, I must love sequins and clubs?”

“Hey you said it, not me.”

Meanwhile, Gaila, Jim, and Leonard were regarding the scene unfolding before them, their expressions varying from concern to amusement to exasperation.

“How long do you think they’ll keep up like this?” Asked Gaila, her brows creasing into a rare frown.

“I dunno, but I’m not stickin’ around to find out,” replied Leonard, his sarcastic frown more firmly established. He motioned to Jim who motioned to Gaila to leave the table and find a new one, giving you and Uhura some space. This exodus, however, did not go unnoticed.

“Gaila, where are you going?” Uhura asked, clearly frustrated. 

“Uh, yeah. Guys?” You looked at Jim and Leonard quizzically. 

Jim spoke up, “We were just, uh, going to go, uh, somewhere else.” 

You and Uhura stared at Jim icily, with matching sullen expressions.

Uhura, ever the first voice of reason in your disputes, spoke up, “You know what, it’s fine. Gaila and I will just go.”

Feeling a sudden and unexpected wave of remorse, you replied, “No, you don’t have to leave. My head hurts, so I think I’m gonna go home and crash anyway.” Seeing the questioning looks on Jim and Leonard’s faces, you added, “No, really. You’re not driving me out. I really do have a headache. I’m not sure I should be drinking this beer so soon anyway.”

Uhura regarded you with a curious expression, before nodding slightly. She and Gaila headed for the door to the bar’s patio.

“Y/N, you don’t need to leave. This is our regular spot.” Jim commented.

“Truly. My head has been hurting all night, and it’s only getting worse− Leonard! What the hell?” You were interrupted as Leonard pulled a tricorder out of nowhere and ran it over your head. 

“Just makin’ sure you won’t die in your sleep, darlin’.” He looked taken aback by your outburst but continued his impromptu examination nonetheless.

“Agh, I’m fine. It’s just a headache, so if I’m cleared for take-off, I’m gonna get the hell out of here.” You realized that you were acting out a bit and added more calmly, “Thanks for putting up with me tonight, you two. Seriously.”

“Ok, well, get home safe. Send me a message when you make it back, yeah?” Jim said with those doe eyes of his. Despite his reputation at the academy as a total cad, he was, on the contrary, one of the most thoughtful and protective friends in your life, and you couldn’t help but feel touched by his simple gesture. 

“Of course I will. Don’t have too much fun without me.” You gave them each a hug and walked out of the bar, giving your best to Ralph, the oddly named Andorian doorman.

Your head really had been aching, and you really were glad to be leaving, but you felt a nagging _something_ in the back of your mind. You were never one to back down from a fight, least of all with Uhura, but for some reason, you just hadn’t had it in you to fight tonight. Maybe it was still lingering symptoms of your concussion, or perhaps it was something to do with what Jim and Leonard had insinuated about you and your…thing, with Uhura. Whatever the case, for the first time since you’d met her, you didn’t want to fight. You felt genuinely ashamed of how you had acted, not only this night but every day prior. 

“Arghh!” You groaned loudly, startling a man coming out of a corner store. Why her? Why did she have to be the one getting under your skin and making you feel guilty? And, somewhat self-indulgently, you wondered if she were in the same quandary as you. You quickly shook away these thoughts; you were just tired, had a headache, and needed some time to yourself. You gave the night a wish for a quiet dorm and an absent roommate, and reassured yourself that surely a good weekend’s rest would help bring some much needed clarity.

Yeah, that was a stupidly naïve wish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, I had fun writing them bicker and banter. That said, I kind of don’t like the reader in this part because she embodies every petty instinct I have, but I felt it necessary to highlight her flaws. I mean she is in a feud with Uhura…I’m hoping to better develop her more admirable qualities in the next part.


	3. Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW; there be smut; skip to 3 paragraphs above the first break if you don’t want to read.
> 
> Sorry again that this update took so long. I be busy. Part 4 will not take as long to get out…hopefully. Thanks to @justhereforrachel (on Tumblr) for beta reading the smut!! (I’m the Rachel she’s just here for!!)

Soft sighs and sensual whispers surrounded you, engulfing your senses. A silky touch followed the contours of your collarbone and traced its way down to your breasts. Your breathing hitched and your heart began to race as you pressed your head backward into your pillow. There the burning touch waited, caressing you, teasing you, drawing out your arousal. You felt a passionate yearning grow deep within you.

 _Her_ lips brushed lightly against your jawline and came to rest just underneath your ear, sending a shiver of lust down your body. Her fingers began to wander from your chest, drawing circles around your navel, and trailed onto your hips, which bucked slightly at the sensation. The feverish desire you felt suddenly burst into flames at that moment.

But her hand skirted past your sensitive core, wending its way down the outside of your thigh, halting above your knee, leaving you craving for more of her touch. Her mouth moved from the hollow under your ear and down the side of your neck, gently nipping at your flesh as she approached the base of your throat, lingering there on the sensitive skin. She continued pressing kisses to your chest, moving lower until her mouth found one of your nipples, sucking and nibbling lightly at the sensitive bud.

Her fingers ceased their wanderings, stroking up the inside of your thigh, gently scratching at the tender skin, reaching higher and higher. Her fingers traced the crook of your thigh, teasing you. Your agonizing desire forced a wanton sigh from your lips. At long last, her fingers reached your throbbing center, sending waves of pleasure up your body. You let out a breathy moan as you felt her slip between your wet folds, driving you to the brink of climax. Your breathing was coming in uneven gasps, and you felt your muscles tense as she stroked at your taut nerve. Her breath tickled your ear as she whispered your name, willing you to come.

Your breath ceased altogether for a fleeting moment as your climax took reign of your body, and you let out a faltering and ragged moan, her name murmured on your lips, “Nyota.”

You reached for her, needing to touch her, to hold her, to feel that she was really there. But your hands found empty air as your eyes opened with a start, finding only a pair of russet colored eyes retreating into the darkness of your dorm room. 

Your breath was still coming in ragged gasps as you regained your bearings and realized what−no−who had been the subject of your dream. There was still a lingering remnant of desire smoldering deep in your belly. You took a few deep breaths, attempting to ground yourself.

You looked over at your roommate’s bed, which was blessedly empty, the sound of the shower running in the adjoining bathroom. The illuminated clock face read 6:53am, minutes before your alarm was set to wake you. What had just happened? With a frustrated groan, you pressed the heels of your hands into your eyes and rolled over into your pillow. You just had a sex dream about…How could you face Nyota−NO, Uhura, you corrected yourself−in combat training today? With another groan you forced yourself out of bed, shaking your hands and head, trying to pull yourself together. You wished Rita would finish up in the bathroom. You really needed a cold shower.

* * *

The next couple of hours passed in a blur as you vacillated between three contradictory states: dreading the moment you would see Uhura, inexplicably needing that moment to come as quickly as possible, and being utterly frustrated with yourself for feeling whatever the hell these feelings were or were not. Your feelings of embarrassment and dread, however, overpowered any compulsion you might have otherwise had to psychoanalyze yourself and your desire to see her.

The clock above the gym’s double doors read 9:00, but she was still absent from the gym. You couldn’t explain it. You wanted−no, needed−her to show up. After more than three years of sharing classes, both of you with perfect attendance, it was unsettling for her to be missing. You were not used to not seeing her, even if her presence usually caused you nothing but irritation. You couldn’t decide if you were still reeling from the dream, Friday night, both, or neither. All you knew was that more than three years of pent up _everything_ were crashing down on top of you, and your emotions regarding her were in a state of complete disarray. 

9:08. Your eyes flitted to the doors again as your coach finished going over the roster and morning updates. 

“Ok, ladies! Line up for drills!” She called loudly.

You scrambled next to one of the women whom Uhura usually hung with. Janice, right? 

“So,” you started after warming up some, “Uhura’s not here today? Afraid of a rematch?” You tried to sound casual, and not as if you’d had a sex dream about Uhura.

Janice laughed softly, “You wish. Nah, she messaged me before class. Said she’s got really bad cramps right now.”

Of course. It was just a run of the mill problem. It’s not as if Uhura could have somehow known about your dream and was avoiding you. You wished you’d gone with less bravado in your line of questioning. “Ah, well, that’s too bad. I was really hoping to get another chance with her−I mean, another chance at fighting her.”

“Well can’t say that you didn’t give her a run for her money.” She smiled, her whole face lighting up. “I’m pretty sure she wants another go as well.”

“Ha, well maybe you can tell me a few of her fighting weaknesses,” You said as you both paired off to spar.

“Or maybe I’ll tell her yours,” she smiled back, wryly. You just smiled and shook your head as you blocked her uppercut.

You passed most of the remainder of combat training in pleasant conversation with Janice. When your coach called everyone in, you and Janice shook hands, promising to spar again soon. However, Uhura’s absence had nagged at the back of your mind the whole class. Afterward you showered quickly in the locker room, dried your hair, and put on a bit of makeup, your winged eyeliner ever so slightly uneven, as always. And all the while, as was becoming a frequent thought, you wondered if she were thinking of you as you were thinking of her.

As you walked across campus to your next class, your mind shifted to your phonetics class the next day. Would she be there? What if she were still absent? You shook yourself slightly as you took your seat in your next class, trying to somehow shake away the thoughts of her. Despite your better efforts, your mind kept drifting away from the lecture and back to that pair of russet eyes that had haunted the end of your dreams.

After class let out, you headed to a subdued lunch with Jim. 

“Y/N, you ok?” Jim asked, as you picked at the bread of your sandwich.

“Huh, oh nothing,” You said absently.

“Yeah, that’s not quite what I asked, but you’re pretty close,” he responded, smirking slightly.

Realizing your mistake, you groaned slightly. “Ok, I’ll tell you. But you have to promise not to tell Leonard. Promise?”

“Ok. I promise,” he said somewhat sarcastically.

“I had a dream last night.”

Jim just stared at you blankly. “Ok…?”

“A dream about Uhura.” You paused again. “A,” you lowered your voice to a barely audible whisper, “sex dream.” As soon as the words left your mouth you regretted them. Jim reared back with a loud outburst of laughter.

“Ok, ok. It is not that funny.” You scowled.

“Yeah, you’re right it’s not funny at all,” He said, laughing through closed eyes, as he wiped away a few tears.

You pursed your lips into a scowl as you waited for him to compose himself. He was still catching his breath and giggling slightly when he finally spoke.

“Oh man, you gotta admit, we totally called it.”

“Jim, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah you do. Friday night Leonard and I called it.” He said burying his face in his hands. 

“Well, I am so glad that my sexual frustrations are so amusing to you,” you grumbled, your scowl deepening. 

He finally eased up on the laughing and said in a more sincere tone. “Look, I am laughing with you, not at you.” Seeing your unconvinced expression, he added. “No, seriously. This has happened to me so many times. Here’s what you need to do.”

“Let me stop you there; if you’re about to tell me that I just need to go make out with her or whatever to release the tension, save your breath. That’s not an option.”

He just looked at you with a smug grin, “No, that’s not what I was going to say.” He let the comment linger.

“And?” You asked, exasperated.

“I think you should go for it.”

A dead silence fell between the two of you as your mouth gaped.

“What?” You finally asked.

“Look, have you ever wondered why you two always bicker? Maybe because you were both just bit attracted to each other, had a dumb disagreement which offended you both, and have spent the last three years being butthurt that your crush disagreed with you?”

You rolled your eyes. “That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Stick to command classes, Jim; psych is clearly not your strong suit.” With that, you backed out your chair and picked up your tray. “Look, I need to go study and work on midterms. I’ll see you later.”

“Oh, c’mon. You’re leaving because of that?”

“No, I need to go study, like I said.” You put your tray down long enough to give him a short hug. “Don’t tell Leonard,” you called over your shoulder, as you walked out of the cafeteria.

As you shuffled back to your dorm, your mind, which had previously been a jumble of confused thoughts, was now a cacophony of incoherent emotions. You decided focus on your homework as a way of escaping your thoughts. You started working on your phonology essay, feeling that deadline the following week looming ever closer over your head. But try as you might, you simply could not focus on the task at hand. Every sentence your typed, every claim you made about Vulcan glottal stops, every reference you cited, you imagined Uhura reading your work with a much more critical eye. And Jim’s dumb theory kept intruding upon your academic musings. What a load of crock.

Finally with a frustrated sigh, you picked up your comm and typed out a quick message. 

_Hey, Y/N here. I’m getting stuck on my essay. I spent the weekend researching and outlining but am having trouble with the writing bit. Want to meet in the library and work together?_

You re-read the message before hitting send and added as an afterthought, _Hope you’re feeling better._

You sat back and tried not to count the seconds passing. Not even a full two minutes passed before your comm chirped with an incoming message.

_I’m feeling better, thanks. Meet in 5? My dorm is right next to library. I’ll find us a table on the 3rd floor._

_Great, see you soon._

Jim’s words echoed quietly in your suddenly calmed mind. Nothing in the past few days and hours had erased the three years of fighting and bickering, but you couldn’t help the little start that your heart gave at the prospect of seeing her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt the dream needed to have that sort of disembodied and impersonal, but intimate feel to it because it’s, well a sex dream. I promise Nyota will get more of the limelight…later. And YES! That was a cameo of Janice fucking Rand!


	4. Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this part took FOREVER. I had mega writer's block for a while, and then I my sagittal band on my left hand and was in a splint for over a month (boxing while stressed is never a good idea...). But I'm better now, avoided surgery (yay!), and am doing hand rehab (which is as silly as it sounds).
> 
> This part picks up at the end of Part 2 and parallels the previous part, but we’re following Uhura instead. It’s kind of filler, but I really wanted to get into her mind a bit and see things from her perspective. Part 5 will be better; I promise!!

_“You know what, it’s fine. Gaila and I will just go.”_

Nyota saw your arched eyebrow drop and your face fall a bit at those words. You seemed to be rapidly weighing your options and trying to process her words before suddenly interjecting, “No, you don’t have to leave. My head hurts, so I think I’m gonna go home and crash anyway.” Nyota could see the shock on Jim and Leonard’s faces as they too processed what you were saying before you added, “No, really. You’re not driving me out. I really do have a headache. I’m not sure I should be drinking this beer so soon anyway.”

Nyota couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty about how things had escalated. Sure you were far from blameless, but arguments were never a one sided thing. She shouldn’t have come over to your table. She should have just had her drink at the bar with Gaila and quietly moved to somewhere else after a socially acceptable amount of time. But she didn’t. Like you, she found it hard to resist the pull…the pull to argue? Or was there some other reason? These and similar thoughts were feverishly running through her head as she nodded at you, took Gaila’s arm, and made for the dark and isolated safety of the patio.

Once outside and at a table, Gaila wasted no time.

“Nyota! What was that?” She asked with frustrated and puzzled look on her face. “What is it with you two?”

“I have no idea.” Nyota responded into her lap.

Gaila just gaped at Nyota. “Well…” She started, “Do you want to go somewhere else?”

“No, we should stay here. I mean, Y/N left so that we could stay. So let’s stay.”

That was all Gaila needed. “Ok. We’re definitely leaving. You look sad, and what we need is dancing.”

When she saw Nyota’s unconvinced face and lack of movement, Gaila took her by the wrist, saying “C’mon. We are not staying here while you sad-drink your gin and tonic. Down it and let’s go!”

Nyota reluctantly gulped down her drink and followed Gaila back into the bar, pointedly avoiding eye-contact with Jim and Leonard as the two of them left. She really did love Gaila, but sometimes being friends with an Orion could be draining. 

Finally after several hours of hopping from club to club in a flashier side of the city and drinking far too many drinks, they headed back to their dorm. Nyota’s feet were screaming for relief as they entered the room, and she collapsed face first onto her bed, clothes and all, without even bothering to brush her teeth or remove her makeup. 

If Nyota had hoped that the following morning would bring relief, she was quickly disappointed because when she tried to roll over in her bed. A wave of nausea and head pain rolled over her causing her to clutch her head and curl up with a low and pained groan. Looking over at her clock, she was shocked to see that it was already past noon. Accompanying her hangover was a shameover, and as the feelings of regret and remorse for the night before began running what was sure to be a marathon in her brain, she also felt a dull cramp emanate from her lower abdomen all the way to her back. Great. Perfect. She was getting her period too. She hurried into her bathroom careful to avoid leaks and the potential that she might be sick. When that was taken care of she shuffled slowly back to her bed, not wanting to do anything but sleep her Saturday away.

“Ny! You’re finally up. Want to go get lunch? Well, breakfast for you.” Gaila asked with far too much energy and volume, “I could die for brunch and mimosas right now.”

“Ughhh…” was the only sound that Nyota could summon. The thought of eating heavy brunch foods washed down with more alcohol caused her to stomach to flip unpleasantly and a fresh wave of nausea to wash over her. 

“You alright?” Gaila asked softly.

“Hangover,” the sound of her own voice reverberating in her ears. “Period.”

“Ah. I’ll just…uh, leave you alone, okay?” Gaila knew the drill. Human hangovers were debilitating and so were Nyota’s cramps, and the best cure for her was solitude, not doting. 

“ ‘kay.” Nyota mumbled into her pillow.

Nyota spent her Saturday largely in bed, napping and coping with her hangover and feelings of embarrassment, really only getting up to grab a coffee refill or go to the bathroom. By the time Gaila returned in the late evening, she was still in her pajamas.

“Gaila,” she asked as her roommate busied herself in the bathroom, getting ready for another night on the town, “On a scale of one to ten, how much of an ass was I last night with Y/LN?”

Gaila rolled her eyes as she flashed Nyota a smile, “I’d give you a solid seven.” Nyota’s face scrunched into a frown, “But for what it’s worth, I’d give Y/N the same score. You were both asses.”

Nyota responded flatly, “I guess that makes me feel a little better.” She stared into her mug of now tepid chicken soup.

“But really,” Gaila said, continuing her line of inquiry from the previous night, “Nyota, what is up with you two? I’ve never known you to be so, so,” she paused searching for the right word, “petty.”

Gaila’s words, while spoken out of place of care, hit Nyota like a punch to the gut. “That bad, huh?” She asked her roommate ruefully. 

“I just think you and she should have a frank conversation about whatever this is between you two. I mean, you’re both going into the same field. What if you both get assigned to the same ship next fall after graduation? What then? You’ll bring this feud out of the academy and onto the job?”

Nyota knew Gaila was right. Something had to give. Graduation was only a few months off in the spring, and as Gaila said, then what? You and she were already being forced to interact closely on this assignment, which could either be the final wedge between you two and any semblance of professionalism, or it could act as an opportunity to put aside your differences, grow up, and work together.

“Well, I’m headed out for the night. I probably won’t be back till well after midnight, so don’t wait up.” Gaila said as she put on her earrings and gave herself a final once over in the full length mirror. “What do you think?” She gestured to her outfit, turning in a circle.  
Nyota finally let the first small smile of the day to cross her face. “You look beautiful as always. Have a great night and have a drink for me.”

“Oh, I will have several!” Gaila paused at the door and added thoughtfully, “And you can take this or not, but I think you two actually have more in common than you’re comfortable admitting. I mean, when’s the last time you and she actually had a conversation like normal people? Ever? Who knows? Maybe you’d actually get on if you just tried. Just something to think about.”

And with a bounce of her fiery curls, Gaila left the dorm room, leaving Nyota a bit stunned. Sometimes Gaila, on the surface at least, seemed flighty and even a bit superficial, and then other times, like a veritable philosopher, she would blindside Nyota with such a deep insight that she had a hard time keeping up with her friend. This was one of those times. But Nyota pushed those thoughts aside, not wanting to dwell on them, yet anyway. And with a deep sigh, she sank further into her covers, abandoning her soup on the bedside table. Giving up on any studying for the day, she grabbed the remote and turned on her favorite sitcom, settling into a much needed evening pick me up.

* * *

By the time Monday morning rolled around, Nyota’s cramps were still bothering her, so she, with some sense of guilt, sent messages to her professors informing them that she wouldn’t be in class that day and asking for any make-up assignments. In truth, she knew that her cramps were not quite bad enough to justify calling in sick, but she couldn’t bear to face you, remnants of her shameover still clinging to her mind. She still felt she had somewhat crossed a line at the bar and felt guilty that she had in some way driven you out. And of course, Gaila’s remarks were still eating away at her.

So, instead, she spent the morning avoiding you and thoughts of you by catching up on all the schoolwork and studying that she had avoided over the weekend. She was open to admitting that she might have a problem with avoiding things. 

By the time she got to working on the linguistics essay, she was feeling rather spent. Nonetheless, she gathered up her research materials and found the outline she and you had made the previous week. After getting up for a full body stretch and a fresh cup of coffee and a bite of lunch, she was about to settle in for another long work session when she heard her comm chirp at her suddenly. She picked it up, hoping it wasn’t a professor giving her more assignments from her absence. Instead her stomach gave a sudden jump when she saw whom it was from.

_Hey, Y/N here. I’m getting stuck on my essay. I spent the weekend researching and outlining but am having trouble with the writing bit. Want to meet in the library and work together? Hope you’re feeling better._

Uhura ignored the heat she felt rising in her cheeks and the strange swelling sensation in her chest. As much as she had wanted to avoid you that day, she could help the small jolt of excitement−no, adrenaline from having to face you−that suddenly coursed through her. She picked up her comm and quickly typed out a response.

_I’m feeling better, thanks. Meet in 5? My dorm is right next to library. I’ll find us a table on the 3rd floor._

She didn’t even wait for a response before she began packing her schoolbag and heading for the library for what would no doubt be an interesting afternoon study session.


End file.
